Switch construction



April 7, 194v2- N. c. scHELLENGER C 2,279,065-

i SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l .IE Ik.. I ,.2 um A Mln. 8

April 7, 1942'. N. c. scHELLENGER SWITCH CONSTRUCTION original FiledApril 2'7, 19:59

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5MM Npwim D. ima/Img@ Patented Apr. 7, 1942 stares.PATE

SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Original application April Z7, 1939, Serial No.

Divided and .this application Decembei' 28, 1940, Serial N0. 372,085

9 Claims.

Inasmuch as switches already have been compacted as much as practical,further space saving entails reduction in size of the volume control;but in switches 'heretofore in use wherein the switch mechanism isenclosed in a housing having metal side walls with depending ears forattachment to the end wall of a volume control housing, it has beennecessary to have the volume control housing larger in 'diameter thanthe switch housing to enable the attaching ears to pass through the endwall of the latter.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide meanswhereby a, switch unit may be attached to a volume control housing nolarger in diameter than itself.

More specically, it is an object of this invention to provide a new andimproved switch housing so designed and constructed that its attachingears by which the switch is secured to the end Wall of a' volume controlhousing, are located inwardly of the housing periphery to enable theattachment of the switch to a volume control no larger in diameter thanitself.

With a view toward simplifying assembly of the switch, it is a furtherobject of the present invention to provide common means for locating theattaching ears inwardly of the periphery o the switch housing and alsosupporting the switch base against movement into the switch housing.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, itbeing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

The accompanying f drawings illustrate oney complete example of thephysical embodiment of the invention, constructed in accordance with thebest mode so far devised for plication of the principles thereof, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plan view looking into a switch constructed in accordancewith this invention, said View showing the switch in its closed or oncondition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, but with the parts in thepositions they occupy when the switch is open or in its "o condition;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through Figure -4 on theplane of the line 3-3;

Figure 4 isa cross sectional view through the housing of a volumecontrol -and taken in the direction facing the switch to illustrate themanner in which the switch housing is secured thereto, said view beingtaken on the plane of the line -t in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an end View of the switch.

Referring now more particularlyto the accompanying drawings in whichlike numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates the housingof a switch of the type to which this invention refers. The switch ismounted on the end wall 6 of a volume control housing designatedgenerally by the numeral l.

Inasmuch as the volume 4control forms no part of this invention, it hasnot been illustrated, but attention is directed to the fact that thehousing of the volume control has the same outside diameter as or atleast is no larger than the switch housing 5.

The switch' housing 5 is substantially cupshaped and comprises acylindrical metal shell 8 and a flat circular end wall 9 of insulatingmaterial. This-end wall provides the base upon which the switchmechanism is mounted. The edge of the metal sidewall at which the endwall or base 9 is located is turned in to provide a flange I0 whichsupports the base against outward displacement. Inward displacement ofthe base is prevented primarily by a plurality of shoulders Il whichengage over the inner edge portion of the base and which are formed byindenting the side wall 8 as best shown in Figure 3.

These' indented side wall portions l2-l2' which form the shoulders llextend to the open edge of the side wall and at their radially innermostportions have attaching ears or tangs i3 projected therefrom. Theseattaching ears pass through apertures I4 in the end wall 6 of the volumecontrol housing to be bent over as shown in Figure 3 and thereby secureswitch housing to the volume control. n

Being located at the bottom or innermost porthe practical aptions of theindentations, the attaching ears or tangs arelocated inwardly of theperiphery of the switch housing and consequently inwardly of the'eriphery of the side wall of the volume control ousing which, asstated, is substantially of the same diameter as the switch housing.Consequently, it is possible through this expediside wall of the volumecontrol housing for a suitable tool to engage the outer surfaces of theears to bend them over and clamp the switch housing to the volumecontrol housing. 1f the attaching ears when projected through the holeswould be too close to the side wall of the volume control housing theycould not be satisfactorily bent over by high speed production assemblymethods.

The indentations as pointed out hereinbefore, also perform theadditional function of clamping the insulating base 9 against the flangeI0 at circumferentially'spaced points. The dual function of locating theattaching ears inwardly of the side wall of the switch housing andsecuring the insulating base in position is, thus, achieved in anexceedingly simple manner. g

Inasmuch as the switch mechanism per se forms the subject vmatter ofthe-aforesaid copending application of which this application is adivision, it need not be described in detail. It is sufficient to pointout generally the construction and operation of the switch. To this endit is observed that the switch comprises pairs of stationary contactsmounted on the insulating base to be electricallybridged in the oncondition of the switch" Each pair of stationary contacts consists ofaixed-"part I5 ush with the inner face of the base and having a terminalportion I 6 passing through the base to project from the outer facethereof, and a spring arm I1 secured to the inner face of the base withits free end portion overlying but spaced above the contact part I5. Thespring arms are secured to the base by rivets I8 and each has a terminalI9 extending from the outer face of the base.

A switch arm is pivotally mounted on a post 2| to oscillate across theinner face of the base between it and the spring contacts I1. Thisswitch arm is formed of insulating material and carries bridgingcontacts 22, which may be rivets 1 passing through the switch arm. Thesebridging contacts are so located that at the closed position of theswitch arm they align with the stationary contacts I5 and the overlyingspring fingers to engage and electrically bridge the same.

At the opposite or open position'of the switch arm, raised portions 23on the arm engage under the spring fingers to prevent looseness of theparts in this position.

The pivot post 2I is set in aligned holes in the base and an inwardlydirected portion of the flange III, and has a shoulder or ange 24engaging the inner face of the base. The outer end of the post is /upsetor swedged so that the base and the portion 25 are clamped between theshoulder and the swedged end of the post. By having the post passthrough the portion 25 which is extended from the flange I0 a more solidsurface is provided for upsetting the end of the post.

This manner of mounting the post also aids in securing the base inposition and serves to electrically ground the post to the metal sidewall of the switch housing.

Switch opening and closing motion is imparted to the/switch arm by a camindicated generally by the numeral 26. This cam is pivotally mounted onthe post 2| over the switch arm and has a driving connection with theswitch arm consisting of a downturned ear or lug on the cam operating ina notch 21 in the edge portion of the switch arm adjacent to the pivotpost.

A portion 28 of the cam opposite its switch arm engaging lug has one endof a pitman 2l pivotally connected thereto. The opposite end thereofpasses through an opening 3l in the directly opposite indented portionI2 which is somewhat deeper than the others for a. purpose described inthe aforesaid co-pending application.

A coil spring 3I encircling the pitman and conned between the indentedportion I2 and ,a shoulder 32 on the pitman yieldingly holdsfthe cam andconsequently the switch arm in one position or the other.

Being under tension at all times it is apparent that the pitman and itsspring also ground the cam to the side wall. 'Ihe termini of the switcharm motion are preferably defined by the engagement of stop portions 33thereon with the inner wall of the switch housing.

Inasmuch as the switch is intended to be operated jointly with thevolume control, a part 3l of the cam passes through a hole 35 in the endwall of the volume control housing to be accessible to an actuator 36which travels in an arc with the movable parts of the volume control.This actuator 36 is engageable with one side 3l or the other of a notchin the cam part 34 to snap the cam from one position to the other in amanner well known in switch-volume control combinations of this type.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatthis invention provides an exceptionally simple but effective manner ofassembling a switch and volume control, the housings of which are of thesame diameter, and that `the means employed for this purpose has theadded func tion of retaining the base of the switch in position.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a switch of the character described: an enclosure for the switchincluding a formed metal side wall having inwardly directed depressions,said depressions extending to one edge of the side wall, and securingears projecting from the edges of the depressions for securing theswitch assembly to a support,` said securing ears extending from theinner portions of the depressions so that they lie wholly within thespace generally bounded by the side wall and mounted on a support nolarger in transverse dimensions than the switch enclosure.

2. A switch of the character described comprising, a base of insulatingmaterial, switch mechanism supported on the base, a metal side wallencircling the base and surrounding the switch mechanism thereon, aninturned portion on said side wall overlying the outer face of the base,integral indentations in the side wall overlying the inner face of thebase and clamping the base against the inturned portion to hold the baseassembled with the side wall, said indentations extending to the edge ofthe side the switch can be wall remote from the base, and attaching earsextending from the indentations for mounting the switch assembly on asupport, said attaching ears being on the inner portions of theindentations so as to lie wholly within the space generally bounded bythe side Wall to thereby enable the switch to be mounted on a support nolarger in transverse dimensions than the switch.

3. In a switch of thecharacter described, a cup-shaped enclosure for theswitch mechanism comprising a base of insulating material and asubstantially cylindrical metallic side wall, a plurality of inwardlydepressed portions on the side wall extending to the edge of the sidewall at the open end of the cup-shaped enclosure, and a securing earprojecting from the edge of each depressed portion for securing theswitch assembly to a support, said securing ears lying wholly within thecircle defined by the cylindrical portion of the side wall so that saidears may be passed through holes in a support no larger in diameter thanthe enclosure.

4. A switch assembly comprising, a non-conducting base, switch mechanismmounted on the base, a metallic housing member engaging the edge of thebase and extending perpcndicularly therefrom so that the base andhousing member conjointly form a substantially cup-shaped housing, aninturned portion on the' housing member engaging one face of the base,an inwardly formed portion on the housing member engaging the otherfaceofl the base directly' opposite said inturned portion to conne thebase therebetween, said inwardly formed portion extending to the edge ofthe housing member at the open end of the cup-shaped housing, and havinga portion thereof continuing beyond said edge to provide a securing earAby which the switch assembly is securable to a support.

5. A switch assembly comprising, a non-conducting base, a metallic sidewall extending therefrom and having an inturned portion engaging theouter face of the base, Aswitch mechanism mounted on the inner face ofthebase, said switch mechanism including a pivot member extendingthrough the base and said inturned portion of the side wall and securingthe base and side wall together, and means on the side wall engaging theinner face of the base to support the spaced from the pivot member.

6. In a switch assembly, a. base of insulatingy base, a metallic sidewall connected with the base and surrounding the switch mechanism, saidside wall having a portion engageable with a support. and mounting earsintegral with the sidewall and oset inwardly with respect thereto, saidmounting .ears projecting beyond said side wall portion for connectionwith said support.

7. In a switch of the character described: a substantially cup-shapedhousing having a metal side wall; portions integral with the side Walland projecting from the edge thereof defining the open end of thehousing to provide attachi ing ears for securing the housing to asupport;

the side wall in line with said projecting porl tions being indented todispose said portions wholly within the space generally .bounded by,

the side wall.

8, In an electric switch: a substantially cupshaped housing having ametal side wall; indentations in the side wall extending to the edgethereof at the open end of the cup-shaped housing with the edges of theindentations substantially in the plane of said edgeA of the side walland inwardly of said side wall to provide support engaging portionslocated inwardly of the side wallso that the switch may be mounted on asupport no larger in transverse dimensions than the housing withoutdanger of having the support slip down into the cup-shaped housing; andmounting ears projecting from said indentations for connection with thesupport.

9. In an electric switch: a substantially cupshaped housing having ametal sidewall; indentations in the side wall at spaced intervals vaboutthe periphery thereof, said indentations adapted to be passed throughapertures in a supporting wall and struck therever to secure the switchhousing to the supporting wall, thek edges of the indentations providinga rm support fori the supporting wall during the bending of the mountingears and the position of the mounting ears with relation to the sidewall of the housing providing adequate space for a clinching 50 Atool intheevent the switch is secured to the back material, switch mechanismmounted on the of the cup-shaped support no larger in diameter than theswitch housing.

' NEWTON C. SCHELLENGER..

